A former strategist in the Obama administration is the focus of an ethics probe following the release of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's personal emails, the Better Government Association (BGA) reported recently.
In a 2015 email, David Plouffe solicited Emanuel's help in ride-share company Uber's expansion in the Chicago area. Plouffe was not a registered lobbyist at the time; he became one in April 2016.
Plouffe, who has held a variety of positions with Uber, did not comment, the BGA said, but Uber told the BGA that it has had communications with the Chicago Board of Ethics. The board noted a recent lobbying investigation that could carry $92,000 in fines.
“We take compliance seriously,” Uber spokesperson Molly Spaeth told the BGA. “We’re always working to ensure registrations are accurate and kept up-to-date, but in this case there was an oversight.”
The email surfaced following a BGA lawsuit over Emanuel's alleged use of his personal email account for public business. The suit was settled in December, and Emanuel's emails were made public.
Alerts Sign-up